


People and Pokémon

by Emily_Hyde



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series)
Genre: Adoption, Gen, Human Experimentation, Mad Science, Original Pokemon Region
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-18 13:07:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28867506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emily_Hyde/pseuds/Emily_Hyde
Summary: Professor Autumn Hickory has been invited to the prestigious Progress Corporation to share the results of her research, but what she ends up finding is more than she bargained for.





	People and Pokémon

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this as a short one-off, but if there's interest, I'm more than willing to continue the story :]
> 
> Also, while it's never explicitly stated, Autumn, Boreas, and Julian are all siblings.

Autumn approached the Progress Corporation’s headquarters, carrying along her latest research documents to share with the head scientists. She was never fond of the place; it was far too modern and industrial for her liking. A security guard issued her a visitor’s pass as she entered the front gates, walking with purpose towards her assigned conference room. Although she had arrived early, Admin Boreas was already waiting within, tapping his fingers on the table as he stared at the doorway. He quickly stood up as Autumn approached. 

“Autumn! Thank goodness you’re here.”

Autumn gave a bit of a confused smile as she shook Boreas’ hand. “Yes, I’m here. Is something the matter? I was under the impression that this meeting would be a quick exchange of information.”

“Just come with me.” Boreas leads Autumn down the hall to an employees-only elevator and swipes his card to descend to a lower level, housing the Progress Corp.’s laboratories. Autumn had never seen the labs of the facility; the hallways were dimly lit and their footsteps on the hard marble flooring echoed throughout. 

“Things have gotten bad,” Boreas said without turning back to look at Autumn. “Ever since Damon became chief executive, the experiments being run here have become… disturbing, to say the least.” Autumn winces hearing a Pokémon’s cry coming from a nearby testing room. 

“So… why do you want me here? Surely in your position, you have much more power to put a stop to anything unsavory.”

Boreas looks down at the floor. “Damon has an iron grip over all of us. We don’t dare say anything out of fear of retribution. And Julian… well he’s become Damon’s right-hand man. That man has some sort of illustrious power over him… I can’t explain it.” He lets out a deep sigh as he approaches one of the many doors lining the hallways and enters a passcode to open it. “This is who I want you to help.”

Autumn hesitantly looks inside the room and finds a young boy, no older than ten, on all fours, backing away towards the wall. The room was furnished not unlike a prison cell, void of any comforts save for one well-loved Poké Doll. The boy held it tightly as he sat curled up against the stone wall, staring at Autumn.

“His name is Gareth. He’s undergone experimentation, with genetic material from multiple Pokémon being implanted into him. It’s some twisted attempt to find a link between humans and Pokémon. I believe that you would be the best fit to care for him. You’ve always had a knack for taking care of others. And you know what it’s like to have a bit of a… Pokémonistic nature.”

Autumn slowly entered the room, smiling softly at Gareth. She kneels down in front of him. “Hello there. Don’t be scared, I’m not going to hurt you. My name is Autumn, and you’re Gareth, yes?”

Gareth nods. “Yes. Gareth.” 

Autumn holds out her hand for Gareth and he leans forward, sniffing it. Autumn smiles and slowly stands back up, keeping her hand extended for him. “Can you stand up for me? We’re going to get you someplace safe.”

Gareth grabs Autumn’s hand and hesitantly rises, legs wobbling. He grips her hand tightly as he takes a few shaky steps but ultimately falls back to the floor. He curls up tightly, shielding his face with his arms. “Please no… I’m sorry…”

Autumn kneels back down in front of him. “No, no… There’s nothing to apologize for, it’s okay.”

Gareth slowly brings his arms down. “...No punishment?”

Autumn shakes her head. “No punishment. Here, I can carry you for now, it’s alright.” She scoops him up and he wraps his arms around her neck for support. 

“Thank you for being so accepting of this,” Boreas says as he puts his hand on Autumn’s shoulder. “I’ll show you a back exit so you can leave undetected.”

The three of them hastily make their way through the halls, reaching a stairwell leading back up to the ground floor. As quickly as she had entered the building, Autumn was out.

“Take care of him, alright?”

“I promise.”


End file.
